Kathryn Bache Miller (April 19, 1896 – October 15, 1979) was an American

art collector A private collection is a privately owned collection of works (usually artworks) or valuable items. In a museum or art gallery context, the term signifies that a certain work is not owned by that institution, but is on loan from an individual ...

and philanthropist.

Early life

Bache was born in 1896, she was the daughter of

investment banker Investment banking pertains to certain activities of a financial services company or a corporate division that consist in advisory-based financial transactions on behalf of individuals, corporations, and governments. Traditionally associated with ...

Jules S. Bache and Florence Rosalie Scheftel (1869–1931). Known to her friends as Kitty. she married 1927 the

theatrical producer A theatrical producer is a person who oversees all aspects of mounting a theatre production. The producer is responsible for the overall financial and managerial functions of a production or venue, raises or provides financial backing, and hire ...

Gilbert Miller } Gilbert Heron Miller (July 3, 1884 – January 3, 1969) was an American theatrical producer. Born in New York City, he was the son of English-born theatrical producer Henry Miller and Bijou Heron, a former child actress. Raised and educated i ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

, France. On February 18, 1916, along with many other debutantes, she performed in the suffrage opera, ''Melinda and Her Sisters'', by Mrs. O. H. P. Belmont and Miss Elsa Maxwell. It was staged in the grand ballroom of the Waldorf–Astoria.

Goya's ''Red Boy''

In 1926, while in Paris at the art gallery of

Joseph Duveen Joseph Duveen, 1st Baron Duveen (14 October 1869 – 25 May 1939), known as Sir Joseph Duveen, Baronet, between 1927 and 1933, was a British art dealer who was considered one of the most influential art dealers of all time. Life and career Jos ...

, she fell in love with the painting by

Francisco Goya Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (; ; 30 March 174616 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker. He is considered the most important Spanish artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His paintings, drawings, and e ...

, '' Manuel Osorio Manrique de Zuñiga'', commonly known as the "Red Boy". Her father then purchased it for $275,000. The painting was hung prominently in her living room. Her interior decorator, Billy Baldwin, described her attachment to it as if it were a living being. Her father bequeathed the painting to the

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...

, but it was allowed to be shown periodically in Miller's apartment until she died in 1979.

Marriage

On July 16, 1927, she married

, a theatrical producer, in Paris, France. Her father had been initially against the marriage, but then changed his mind. He helped the guests celebrate with a wedding breakfast at his Paris apartment, which held his vast collection of antiques and art works. Her apartment at

550 Park Avenue 550 Park Avenue is a luxury apartment building on Park Avenue on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City, United States. Design 550 Park Avenue was designed by J.E.R. Carpenter. The 17-floor building was completed on December 11, 1917 an ...

in New York City was decorated by Billy Baldwin.

Later life

A well-dressed society figure, she became a permanent member of the Fashion Hall of Fame, class of 1965, along with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. She was a close friend of the

Duchess of Windsor Wallis, Duchess of Windsor (born Bessie Wallis Warfield, later Simpson; June 19, 1896 – April 24, 1986), was an American socialite and wife of the former King Edward VIII. Their intention to marry and her status as a divorcée caused a ...

and

Truman Capote Truman Garcia Capote ( ; born Truman Streckfus Persons; September 30, 1924 – August 25, 1984) was an American novelist, screenwriter, playwright and actor. Several of his short stories, novels, and plays have been praised as literary classics, ...

Philanthropy

She was known for having lavish New Year's Eve parties that supported charities. In particular, she supported

Roosevelt Hospital Mount Sinai West, opened in 1871 as Roosevelt Hospital, is affiliated with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Mount Sinai Health System. The 514-bed facility is located in the Midtown West neighborhood of New York City. The f ...

with millions of dollars.

Legacy

On April 17, 1980 her estate was sold at auction by Christie's. In 1983 the Italian Baroque painting of ''St John the Baptist Preaching'' by

Mattia Preti Mattia Preti (24 February 1613 – 3 January 1699) was an Italian Baroque artist who worked in Italy and Malta. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Saint John. Life Born in the small town of Taverna in Calabria, Preti was called ''Il Ca ...

was purchased partially with funds from the ''Kathryn Bache Miller Fund'' for the Legion of Honor museum in California. In 1988, the

Miller Theatre Miller Theatre at Columbia University is located on the Morningside Heights campus of Columbia University. It is a performing arts producer dedicated to developing and presenting new music. In 1988, the former McMillin Theater was renovated and ...

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

was named in her honor.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Kathryn Bache 1896 births 1979 deaths People from the Upper East Side Jewish art collectors Philanthropists from New York (state) American people of German-Jewish descent American socialites Women art collectors American art collectors